A New Frontier
by Shinigami Duo
Summary: The Chosen Children are lost and without guidance. They are crumbling under their dark memories of the past, and their inner daemons. Will they get a second chance to redeem themselves?
1. Dark Memories

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon Frontier, in any way, shape or form. Its owned by those wonderful people at Bandai. All I own are my original characters and the idea behind this story.  
  
A/N I would seriously love to get a lot of reviews, so I can improve and complete this story. I want it to be the best it can be. Peace!  
  
I. I think my name is Takuya.  
  
I don't remember much about myself; even less about my past, all I know for certain is I don't belong. I am not another angst-ridden teen, who believes the world is set against me. No. I know I am alone, that I don't belong. I am the only one of my kind in this world. I have faced ridicule, persecution, even out-right anger and aggression, everyday for as long as I can remember, just for who I am, what I am. The creatures I have met and seen, more often than not will openly attack me without provocation, before I can get a word in sideways. As I said, I am alone.  
  
What 'friends', if that term can be applied, I have made, were alliances formed out of mutual gain and survival. After that, I would be forced to leave, before my erstwhile allies turned on me.  
  
My past, all that I can remember of my former life, comes to me in flashes and blurred images in my nightmare infested sleep. I would wake up, hoping to grasp what little information I had, before it too slipped through my fingers, lost to me again. Some of it, my past, I have managed to gather together. I can remember people I used to know, and other events, though only through brief flashes, and mumbled voices. The most common images I get in my dreams, are of 2 boys, almost identical, but direct opposites; A large, round boy with a big grin; a little kid, with a big hat, staring at me; and a cute, blonde girl looking over her shoulder at me. Snatches of sound sometimes come too, but never enough to identify the speaker. These people seem important, but their identities remain mysteries to me.  
  
The earliest thing I can remember clearly, is waking up in a field swathed in a cloak, with a pounding headache and ringing in my ears. Soon after, I was attacked by an unknown assailant, whom I later learnt was called Monochromon, but again it blacks out and the next thing I remember is waking up again to see Monochromon lying unconscious next to me. A series of events just like the above occurred, have occurred, up until now. I feel like a man being hunted for an unknown crime. And I am hunted by monsters of indescribable size, power and ferocity.  
  
I tell you this, I tell you this because I want to know that someone other than me knew what I went through. The pain, the suffering, and the hope that died. This is how it began. 


	2. Same Routine, Same Heartache

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon Frontier, in any way, shape or form. Its owned by those wonderful people at Bandai. All I own are my original characters and the idea behind this story.  
  
A/N I would seriously love to get a lot of reviews, so I can improve and complete this story. I want it to be the best it can be. Peace!  
  
My name is Izumi Orimoto.  
  
I am one of 6 'chosen children', who have the power to become powerful and legendary warriors whilst in the digital world. 4 of the other children, though we aren't children anymore, are my friends and we keep in regular contact. The other one . . . I don't like to talk about. The pain is still to near.  
  
In all other respects I am your regular high-school girl. I like hanging out with my girl friends, talking with my other friends, you know regular high school stuff. I'm a pretty good student, I'm on the all girl swim team at school, and my parents and I get on okay.  
  
But that one facet of my past hangs like a shadow over my life. The time I spend with the other chosen is normally melancholy and somber, as we reflect on the sacrifices we made to save our world and the Digital World, the sacrifices he made.  
  
My normal friends are convinced I'm depressed over not having a boyfriend, and keep trying to set me up with guys I don't like. The story of my life. "Here Izumi, what do you think of him?" my friend Michiko asks, handing me a picture of a guy, who by his looks must at least be in college. "Geez Michiko, this guy looks like he's 20. I'm only 16. And anyway I told you, I don't want you to set me up on a date." I respond, as calmly as possible. "Aww, c'mon Izumi, his name's Yorimoto. He's my older brother Taroo's friend. Taroo told me he'd set you two up if you want. You really should at least give him a try, please?" She's giving me that goddamn look again. Everyone knows that look, the one where the person looks like a puppy. I hate that look, Michiko has used on me so many times, in this exact same situation. It's not like I can't resist it, but then she wont shut-up until I give in. So I gave up trying a long time ago. "Alright, one date no more." "Alright! You won't regret it, he's not the same as the other." "17." "What? Oh right. Yeah he's no the same as the other 17 guys I've set you up with." "Yeah, of course. C'mon, class is about to start." I say as I head off to Mr. Kamakura's Friday Biology class. I hate Biology. Why would anyone in their right mind decide to cut up frogs anymore? We can look in a book and see just what's inside of them. And Kamakura is one hell of a taskmaster. But such is life, eh?  
  
Finally the bell rang to signal the end of 6th period, and the start of freedom. Saturday was so close I could practically feel my bed as I slept in. "Okay class before you go, homework for the weekend is to complete the exercise we are working on and to prepare a practical paper for Tuesday's experiment. Good Afternoon." Mr. Kamakura said leaving us to our freedom. I wrote down the homework, and got up to stretch. It was almost summer, and the classroom was hot. Most of the class was trying to cram themselves through the door and outside into the breeze. I couldn't blame them. I was tempted to just go to the library and sit in the air conditioning for a half hour, but the chance to go home was just that much sweeter, so I followed Michiko out into the hall. She was going on about something, and I was only half paying attention, so we kept walking right up until my locker. I twirled the combination and grabbed my books. I was just stuffing them into my bag, when I caught site of Koji standing next my locker. Koji was one of the chosen, and he and I were friends from our days in the Digital World. He'd always been a bit of a lone wolf, one of those dark and mysterious people, but nowadays he was so introverted it was almost scary. He blamed himself for what happened, I guess. We all blamed ourselves. But most of us learnt to cope with it. Still, it was a surprise that Koji was here. We'd been in the same classes for the whole year, and this was probably the 3rd time I'd seen him. "Heya Koji! Long time, no see!" chirped Michiko. "Hi," he said quietly, "Izumi I was wondering if I could have a word," he looked at Michiko, "Alone." "Sure, just give me a second, to grab my books, I'll walk with you." I said, quickly scanning my locker for anything, I needed. Satisfied, I grabbed my bag. "See you later!" I yelled out to Michiko, and we were gone.  
  
Once we were outside, we turned and headed north. Our apartments were both in the North-Eastern part of the city, so we had a way to walk, but Koji sounded like he needed to talk, and that was fine with me. So we walked, and I waited. "It's been 5 years." He finally said. "What has?" I asked puzzled. "It's been 5 years since, since we left the Digital World." "Oh. Yeah." "I should have stayed!" He suddenly burst out, "I should have been there for him! I should have done something!" He stopped walking, and looked at me, "It should have been me, not him." He barely whispered the last part. "No, Koji, he did what he thought he had to do. There was nothing any of us could have done to change things. He did it so we could get home. And he knew the consequences." I said, looking him in the eye. "But, why did it have to be him? Why couldn't have been me that had to do it? He had so much going for him here. Me, I've got nothing. My dad's always away. My mom never calls or gets my calls, and, and Koichi is still in a coma. His family was great. He was the most popular kid in school, even if he was only 11 at the time. Why him?" He looked at me, and I could see his eyes. They were dark, filled with self-loathing and grief. I could see myself in his eyes, and I realized I had tears in my eyes. "I. I don't know Koji! Why did he have to sacrifice himself at all! It's not fair!" I broke down and fell onto Koji's shoulder, crying my eyes out. "Why did they have to take him Koji!? Why!?" I cried into his shoulder. "He said I was his friend. No one had ever said that to me before." Koji told me quietly, as I continued sobbing, "He was the first one who could accept me for who I was. He didn't care that I snobbed him all the time, or that we got into fights. He just laughed and said that they made us even better friends. He was one of a kind." He bowed his head in some kind of memorial. "He gave me these, but I want you to have them, Izumi." I looked up and he handed me a package, "Keep them safe for him." And with that he ran off at full sprint, his head bowed as if he was trying to outrun the past. Who knows, maybe he thought he could. I opened the package, and fell to my knees crying again. It was a pair of goggles. 


	3. Life Sucks Some Days

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon Frontier, in any way, shape or form. It's owned by those wonderful people at Bandai. All I own are my original characters and the idea behind this story.  
  
A/N 9 reviews in the first 3 days! Da-Woohoo! Keep 'em coming. I'm really interested in what you've got to say about my story, any ideas and any (constructive) criticism you may have. I can take the bad with the good, so pull no punches, and lets make this as great as worldly possible. Peace!  
  
P.S. A final thought I just had to add: "Guns don't kill people, I kill people ;)" - Anonymous  
  
It took me a while to get home that day.  
  
I looked like hell when I got home, and I was glad my mom didn't finish until later. If she'd seen me, she would've fussed over me endlessly, trying feed me her 'special' chicken soup, which could cure anything. It had worked when I was 5, it didn't work now that I was 16. My eyes were red and puffy from the two and a half hours I'd spent crying on the sidewalk and on my way home. My make-up, what little of it I wore, was ruined. Not that I particularly care, but it made me look all the worse. I was disheveled, dirty and I felt like crap. His goggles were safely stowed in my bag, but I couldn't bear to move them at that moment. I was afraid I'd burst into tears again, as I'd done so often on my way home. I just wanted to go to sleep, and escape reality, for a few hours at least. But again, fate plotted against me.  
  
*Ring, Ring*  
  
Damn that infernal device. Why did it always ring at a time like this? I mean couldn't it wait until I'd had my rest and didn't sound like I was so depressed. Never mind that I was, it was just so annoying. But, force of habit made me pick up the damn thing. "H . . .Hello?" "Izumi! Good you're there. Now about Yorimoto, Taroo says he's free tomorrow at 7, and he'd love to take you to the movies. So, should I tell him where to pick you up?" Good old, reliable Michiko. Never notices anything unless it's in her face. "Oh whatever. I don't care. Tell him I'll be ready at 6:30 if he wants to come pick me up." And then I hung up. I couldn't deal with her at the moment. Couldn't deal with anyone, anything at the moment. Especially not old memories..  
  
I must have zoned out, because the next thing I knew I could hear keys in the lock, and I realized my mom must be home. I shot up and off the couch, realizing I'd left my bag, and his goggles lying on the floor. My bag lived in my room and my mom would get suspicious if it was down there, so I raced to where I'd left it, to put it in its place and on the way caught my reflection in a mirror. I still looked pretty bad. So I quickly fixed myself and continued on. If she found out about the goggles, it would only make things worse. I got to the landing and managed to grab my bag while my mom was busy in the kitchen with the mail. She has this habit of ignoring everything until she's read the mail. Don't ask me why, she just does. I returned my bag to its usual resting place, and was on the verge of moving the goggles, when mom's voice sang out, "Zumi-chan! I'm home! How was school?" It was her usual routine, the same day in and day out. "It was OK! Michiko set me up on a date again!" "Why does she keep doing that? You're a popular girl, I'd bet half the guys at school would give their right arm for a chance to go out with you." "Maybe, but that doesn't stop her. This time it's one of Taroo's friends." "But isn't Taroo in University?" "Yeah, he is." "Well OK, but you know the drill, he has to have you home by 11!" "I'll make sure he does." "So, anyway, how about I fix us some dinner." It wasn't a question. She always said that when she was about to start cooking. Another weird habit. "I'll be in my room. I'm real tired." It was the truth. I had never felt this drained, ever.  
  
I fell asleep as soon as I hit my bed. As testament to my fatigue, I did not dream, did not even stir until my mom called me for dinner. "Zumi-chan, are you awake? Zumi, it's time for dinner!" My mom's cries from the kitchen dragged me out of oblivion and back into the present. I slumped out of bed and out to the dining room, to the table to eat. I felt like my feet weighed 5 tons each, but I still went out to eat. One thing I'd learned about being depressed, it didn't help to be hungry. I'd nearly wasted away after returning from the Digital World, until my mom had sat me down and forced me to eat something. And it had helped surprisingly. I grabbed a seat across from mom and began to eat, while she told me about her day at work. I feigned as much interest as I could, but it wasn't working for me today. Mom noticed. "What's the matter Zumi-chan? You're usually at least mildly interested in my day. So what's wrong? You can tell me." I sighed, "Nothing mom, just really tired." It was the truth, just not all of it. I kept my face down so she couldn't see how puffy my eyes were. "Ok then, early to bed tonight, ok." "Fine." I ate in silence, as mom started going on about how her friend at work had gotten tickets to the latest Yamato Ishida concert for her daughter, and about how hard they'd been to get. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of Yamato, I just thought the price of tickets to his concerts were outrageously high. I finished and excused myself, telling mom I was going to bed. "But its only eight thirty, are you sure? You must be tired. Ok, I'll see you in the morning Zumi-chan. G'night!"  
  
I hit my bed hard, but instead of falling straight asleep, as I would have thought, I lay awake, thoughts coming unbidden to my head. Dark memories, I wished I didn't have kept flying through my head. Memories of. . . him. I cried myself to sleep that night. 


	4. What You Want The Least

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon Frontier, in any way, shape or form. It's owned by those wonderful people at Bandai. All I own are my original characters and the idea behind this story.  
  
A/N I now this chapter is short, but after much deliberation I wanted to do it this way, and I wanted to clarify certain events. If I sound like an insane rambler, forgive me, just review and say so. :) All reviews can be sent to my email, a_coucill@hotmail.com or dark_duo_2@hotmail.com  
  
P.S. As a final thought, "If you can understand the me, then I can understand the you." - Metallica, The Unforgiven II  
  
* BEEP BEEP! Wake up, Wake up! *  
  
My eyes snapped open as my alarm clock blared into my ear that it was time to get up. My eyes felt wet, so I checked them and found that there were tears in them. Nightmares again. I stumbled out of bed and into the hallway, towards the bathroom.  
  
"Zumi-chan? Are you awake? Good, breakfast is almost ready!" Mom sang out from downstairs.  
  
The shower managed to wake me up a little, but I just didn't feel awake. I probably needed more sleep, but I didn't want to face my dreams again, just yet. I got dressed quickly, grabbed my bag and walked downstairs to breakfast.  
  
Breakfast was the same, as usual, and I left soon after. I normally walked to school alone, and I appreciated the time I spent on my own absorbed in my thoughts, but as I exited my apartment building I saw Junpei sitting on the bench down the road which was odd. Junpei lived 15 blocks away, so why was he here this morning? I knew the answer, but I still refused to listen to the little voice in my head. Junpei knew I didn't like him that way, I told him so a few years ago when he'd asked me on a date. So I pretended not to notice any of the several unusual touches to Junpei's attire. Including the rose attached to his shirt pocket.  
  
"Hey Junpei, how's it going? What are you doing here this early in the morning?" I asked innocently enough. He turned to look at me, and a grin grew on his face. I didn't like that look.  
  
"Morning Zumi. I just wanted to walk you to school this morning. Do I need a reason to walk my best friend to school?" He grinned at me again. It was weird, he looked. . . cocky?  
  
"Um, ahh, ok. Sure, we'd better get going," I said checking my watch and noticing I was running late, as usual, "And we'd better hurry. C'mon" We started off at a fast pace toward school.  
  
"Hey Zumi, do you remember that time that, ahh, he gave you that flower in the Digital World?"  
  
I stopped suddenly and looked at him. Of course I remembered, it was the last time we'd talked before he went and, did what he did. I'd kept the flower, it had come back with me, I had it preserved in my room, but nobody knew that except me. "Y. . .Yeah?"  
  
"Well, I found one just like it and I thought you might like it. Here" He said as he handed me a pink, tulip-like flower, I'd never seen another like it ever. Not here in the Real World.  
  
"Thanks, ahh, Junpei, it's beautiful." I said keeping as straight a face as I could, while holding back the tears that threatened to burst forth.  
  
"Listen Z," he began using his pet name for me, "I know you said no last time, but I'd really love it if you came to dinner and a movie with me this weekend. Don't answer now, think about it please, I really like you Z. . ." I didn't let him finish.  
  
"Junpei! How could you! You know today's the anniversary of his death! And you know I love him, how could you be so heartless?!" I screamed at him, the tears streaming down my face. "I thought you were my friend Junpei!" I screamed as I ran past him. I couldn't bear to face him anymore, I couldn't believe that he'd betray the memory of Takuya like that! He knew how much I loved him. He knew, but he still did it anyway, and on the anniversary of our escape and his death! That bastard!  
  
"Zumi! Come back, he's gone, you can't change the past. . .!" Junpei's cries followed me as I sprinted, half-blinded by tears towards school. 


	5. Splashdown

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon Frontier, in any way, shape or form. Those wonderful people at Bandai own it. All I own are my original characters and the idea behind this story.  
  
A/N I would seriously love to get a lot of reviews, so I can improve and complete this story. I want it to be the best it can be. Peace! All reviews can be sent to my email, a_coucill@hotmail.com or dark_duo_2@hotmail.com  
  
As usual my final thought before you start; "Never waste a moment, you could lose so much more" - me  
  
My head throbbed as I slowly woke from the flashing, multi-hued nightmare that was sleep, or it might have just been plain, old, regular unconsciousness judging from the pain in my temples and behind my eyes. I looked around to check where I was, noticing that a few of the trees near me looked like they'd been hit, and judging from the size and depth of marks, not to mention the funny angle many seemed to be at, they'd been hit hard. Then I noticed the great bulk that lay in an awkward manner, about 10 meters from where I was. It was a large digimon, one of the biggest I'd ever seen this close, and it appeared to be sleeping. I didn't recognize it, but whatever it was, it could have easily made those marks in the tree, and as I slowly and painfully raised myself to my feet, the deep gashes and rents in the earth's surface further away from me. But then, what was I doing here, so close to this battleground. And, more importantly, who had won, and where were they? An Injured digimon of that size was not something high on my list of things to meet, especially when they were still in a battle-rage.  
  
I began to creep away slowly. I could see the unnamed digimon was stirring, and though it's breathing was heavy and laboured, it could still be a threat. I'd just about made it passed the ring of bent and battered trees, when suddenly its eyes snapped open, and both moved and focused on me. I froze; praying to whatever deity would listen that it wouldn't spot me, but it was not to be.  
  
"P..ppl..please...help.....me." Its voice was barely above a whisper, but I heard it.  
  
"Ok, under one condition, you swear not to attack me."  
  
"I swear it!" It gasped out, obviously in a great deal of pain.  
  
I moved back towards it. I felt sorry for it. Even with my rather limited medical knowledge, I could tell that at least 3 of its ribs were broken, probably more, and the bruising and burns all over its body, indicated a substantial amount of damage had been inflicted, most likely a fire digimon, that or one that could burn another with ease. I didn't know what I could do to help it, besides talking to it and easing its pain.  
  
I stayed with the poor creature for a little over an hour before it expired and turned to data. During that time it had told me the story of how it had come to be injured so grievously, and who had done it. A digimon named Agunimon, it'd said, and with the name came a rush of memories, but before I could make sense of any of them they'd disappeared, but the point was they were there! That meant I could now try and remember them, and they might provide a clue to my past and the reason for my existence here in the Digital World. The excitement I felt did not show on my face. I'd long ago given up expressing emotions as more often than not they lead to an attack on me as some digimon sensed my momentary weakness. It was a safety precaution.  
  
After the death and dispersion of the injured digimon, I quickly moved off and away from the scene, in case any other digimon might come and try something, as had happened back when I lingered beside the scene of a battle. I wandered far in the hours after the battle, lost in my thoughts and attempts to retrieve the memories buried deep within my mind, stopping only to forage for food and to sip at a river when the hunger became to great to suppress. As I sat in the bowl formed by the roots of an ancient tree, and gazed out over the water, I saw a digimon come down to the river and begin drinking from the river and as a reflex I began to dive for cover. But something happened that stopped me, I realized I recognized this digimon, and a word began to form on my tongue.  
  
"Cerberamon." I breathed.  
  
The digimon's ears twitched, and it looked up to see me staring wide-eyed from my vantage point across the river. I watched as its eyes grew large and frightened, and it cried out something and raced away from the river, through the thick underbrush, before I could ask it what our connection was. I dropped down into the tree feeling depressed and saddened. The first digimon ever that I'm unafraid to ask for information, is deathly frightened of me.  
  
"Great, just great." I muttered.  
  
The skies overhead began to darken, and a drop of water splashed in front of me. I glanced around looking for suitable shelter and I noticed that another tree further down river formed a perfect place to wait out the storm. It was a cave of sorts, more like an overhang that protected a carved out section of the tree, that looked like it had room for me to sit under, possibly even lay down. I jogged quickly over to this alcove, and glanced around it and the surrounding area, checking for any sign that a digimon called this place home. Satisfied, I was not invading anyone's turf; I entered and sat, my back against the tree, just as the rain came pouring down. The tree smelled deeply of earth and moss, which was comforting, it was natural. I closed my eyes and listened to the sound of the rain drumming on the hardwood above me, and splashing softly on the river outside. All of it, the sounds, the smells and even the faint taste of earth in my mouth had a calming effect on me, which was exactly what I needed at the time. I felt like I could sleep, and unintentionally, I began to relax. The memories of the day came flooding back, especially the memory of something inside me sitting there waiting to be released, something connected with the name Agunimon. Images flashed in my head, a panorama of memories. Many of them contained images of other beings similar to me. The blonde-headed girl and the other boys like myself, the inhabitants of my tormented sleep. People. The word appeared in my head, and I immediately recognized the significance of the word. That was what I was! A Person! A Human! That word, bitterly flung at me was what separated me from the rest of the digital world, but it was my identity, my past. It was my link to the past! I clung to that memory, like a drowning man clutches at a straw, did everything in my power to keep it in focus in the hope that it would bring forth more of my past. The image of the blonde girl flashed into my mind again, this time with something more, a name. Izumi. And I could hear her voice too.  
  
"I like you too Takuya..."  
  
I could feel the tears flowing freely down my face, but I couldn't care less. I knew who I was, where I came from, and why I was here! I sank down lower, to the ground; the tears drop from my face to the floor, as I curled up, sinking into oblivion with one word on my lips.  
  
"Izumi..."  
  
Author's Notes. Yes, It's up, finally, and I'm sorry it's so late. But I've been busy! I swear to god! So very busy, let me tell you when they say Math C is going to be difficult, they aren't lying! Anyway enough excuses. On to the important stuff. Yes, Takuya has his memory back! Not all of it, but enough! So what does this herald for him, the digital world, and the rest of the story? Well, I'm not too sure, but I have some good ideas, so you'll just have to stay tuned huh! Well, any comments (please!), critics or just a "Hey slackass, move it and finish!" are appreciated.  
  
Oh and a very, very, incredibly, extremely, unbelievably, (insert adjective here) huge thanks goes out to Dragi Vitramon! Thank you so much for your enthusiasm and support! It went a long way towards getting this finished! So I dedicate this chapter to you, Thanks again.  
  
Cheers all, catch you when I do! Duo. 


End file.
